bazz54

The question always comes up as to whether to buy the simple bending beam type or the complicated dial gauge type. On a limited budget, there is an argument that says the bending beam is the one to go for. I bought a Draper bending beam wrench years ago and it has been perfectly satisfactory. Some people say that they are not sufficiently accurate, but when you get in to the whole business about how the cleanliness (or lack of it) of threads greatly affects torque measurements, great accuracy is not really required.

A few years ago a new formulation of antifreezes came in to use specifically to protect aluminium engines, this is called 'organic acid technology' OAT, often referred to as long-life; think it checks out on Wiki. Problem is that every manufacturer had its own colour code system; Toyota did 2 variations one being pink and one red. Blue suggests that yours may have been filled with non-OAT stuff. I think it's generally thought best not to mix them, so may be best to top up with more standard antifreeze until you get around to a complete drain and refil with pink or red.

I think some are probably better than others; there is a range of products made by a US outfit called Jostice Brothers which stand out as having some more unusual and "impressive" ingredients but I think they are intended for professional use and are not well known in the UK. Of course, one function of some of these additives is getting cars through the MoT when they might otherwise have failed on emissions

Whenever I hear about some fantastic additive the first thing I do is try to find the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for it because that tells you something about what it is made of. The MSDS for 44k is available online and based on the info it contains I find it really hard to believe that it is anything special or is going to be a particularly good cleaner. Adding a can to your tank may make the engine feel good while it is still around, but lasting benefits...? Work out what it costs per gallon. Not for me thanks.

I was looking at this problem recently; found that a 6mm drill will pass through the locating holes but a 7mm won't and so I bought thesewhich look good but haven't got around to trying them yet.

Whatever else you do, keep the oil and oil filter in spec. Most people on here are changing the oil more frequently than the Toyota recommendation. Your Gen7 is 9 years old; could that still be a pre-facelift, as then the oil is even more impoprtant.

Can you get LED bulbs for main beam and dip??? Didn't think so. For the low power roles, I suspect that even cheap LED's will outlast filament bulbs.

Acetone (as in nail varnish) will attack most plastics. Have you checked the Super glue websites or other forums for advice. In the absence of anything better to suggest, I would keep it damp with water (wet kitchen towel); when things that are intended to stay glued together come apart, it is often due to molecules of water penetrating their way slowly along the interface. Unlikely to do any harm until you find out more.

Can anyone recommend a good high-temp paint for use on an exhaust heat shield (thin/rusty sheet metal, quite close to the downpipes)? It's ages since I last used anything like that and whatever I used (cannot remember, may been Hematite?) it flaked off withing a couple of weeks. Do metallics or solid colours last best?

Yep...I did say "really disrespects" and didn't imply you think that. Quietly, when no one is looking...take it off

There is a bit of a contradiction in this thread. On the one hand, people are really keen to take off the wiper because it makes the car look "smarter"; to someone who appreciates good looking cars, that is pleasing, tasteful and therefore desirable. But if you consider yourself to be in that group of people, is there any way of arguing the case that the finger sticker is pleasing, tasteful and desirable? Nah! Surely the exact opposite? Honda's VTEC is a superb engine; I had one. It used to be the case that it had the highest specific power output of any engine in mass production. I don't know whether that is still the case. The term "Death Rattle" did not arise from the VTEC but with the VVTI; I know because I have one. Which is not to say the VVTI is a lesser engine. In my opinion, anyone who really disrespects the VTEC, knows nothing and is not a genuine car fan. All that said, I hate the the thought of coughing up Council Tax so that plod can spend his time doing this. Are we getting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

When I was a boy in Yorkshire, you'd look at your mate's MK I Escort and demand, "'As tha got t'igh lift camshaft in that?". T'igh lift camshafts made it good for competition, much less good crawling thro traffic. The 190's "lift" is just the latter day version of that but achieved by gizzmos (quite similar gizzmos to the ones Honda developed..... ) Most importantly, lift gives you both performance and driveabilty!

I use a little plastic one-way valve costing ~£1.50 from an aquarium shop which then means it's just a one man job. I agree the real seal is on the tapered seat. The major benefit of PTFE tape on the threads of a brake nipple is that it stops them rusting solid.

Brakes International are good, but would phone them rather than email.

If the blobs are really thick, then as above, you need some emery paper wrapped around something that enables you to just sand down the high spot. Alternatively, you need a one of those small Dremil drills with suitable tool on it to sand it down. Something like T cut will take for ever.

I bought a Sealey trolley jack 30 years ago which still works perfectly.

If you find out what the cost of the materials alone is, charging £15 sounds (for a good job) just far too good to be plausible.

I'd stay the hell away from both Kwik fit and DIY refils. To put gas in properly, you have to vacumm the system down first and then the exact amount you need can be put in. Scrimping is crazy; the cost of fitting a new compressor is several hundreds. Try and find a good AC specialist and make sure he puts in gas, lubricant and leak detecting dye. Really good company in Oxfordshire is BAE in Bicester;; charged me £45 (same as KF) last year and I watched him do it and he did it 100% right. £45 works out at about £10 per year!

I got my first car in 1976, and since then I've often owned more than one car at a time (3 currently) and I reckon that I probably change a fuse, on average, once every eight years? There must be better things to do with your time and money; loose women ?

I bought one costing about the same and found it produced sod all current even pointed directly at the sun on a clear day. Think a good one costs a good deal more.

Also have problems with cats; I think the ultra-sonic scarers do work but only over fairly short distances (~15ft ?).

There is company in Bicester - Bicester Auto Electrics - I haven't had electrical work done there, but they refilled my aircon last summer and seemed like a good outfit. I waited in the shop while they did it so I saw them deal with a number of customers with electrical problems very helpfully. Additionally, I know enough about aircon to know they did it 100% right.